Love, Dreams, and Freedom
by Mg
Summary: In a land of deception, and cruelty, the Bekaton people have been made to be slaves on their own land for many years under the hand of the people of Chronos. And then two from the opposing sides meet. Can they cross all bounds to change the way things are


"Come on, we'd better be getting back to the camps before it gets dark ****

This is a trial run guys. You will definitely not see more of this fic unless I get a certain amount of reviews for it. It's been sitting on my shelf for a long time, and I personally, was becoming uncaring about adding more. If you want to see more, you have to write more.

mg

Serenity stood tall beneath the heat of the two suns, her gaze falling over the other women working in the dessert valleys before turning her full attention to her sister. She was certain by the looks of it, that she would loose her strength to continue any moment now; and just as always, she would have to push her to carry on. With a tired breath, she brushed back her sweat-dampened hair with her fingertips and stared back to the work that lay awaiting her. Darting her tongue over her dry lips and swallowing hard in an attempt to coat her parched throat, she leaned down to pick up some more straw and glanced once more upon her sister's contorting face. 

Athalia's brows were now shaping a frustrated furrow, her eyes squinting and her mouth tightened at the corners as she attempted not to think about the way in which her garments clung to her sweat soaked body. She placed her basket down on the floor and slowly lifted a hand to her face to wipe off the droplets glistening on her forehead, unconsciously marring it with the dessert sand. It had been a long day and she felt as if her body would cease on her any moment. A muffled cry managed to escape her lips as she attempted to lift the now heavy basket atop her head.

"I do not know how much longer I can do this." She whimpered in her native tongue, as she looked towards her sister for comfort, the words flowing easily in a thick yet fluid-like manner.

"Pako, I know you are tired, but do not seme Athalia or they will surely hear you." Serenity's form slightly strained as she attempted to balance her own basket atop her head. "You know the punishment for speaking." With careful maneuvering, she finally managed it.

"I do not care...how can someone sekana you for speaking?" Her eyes darted fiercely from side to side as she scrutinized their situation carefully. "This treatment...it is...it is treacherous!" 

"You may seme and complain all you wish when we get to our vestant." She reprimanded with finality as she slowly walked away. "Now pako, stop this foolishness; now is not the time for quibbling." 

"I will not!" She voiced strongly. "Serenity...how can you behave so while you are under such unjust burdens?" Athalia paused as she finally managed to fix her own basket atop her head, and began to follow her. "Does it not bother you that the people of Chronos treat us like padakis?"

"Athalia..." Serenity directed sternly towards her, signs of authority in her voice. "As your benshaka I demand that you stop speaking...the kanuka ma-an are coming." She ended stringently as she carefully balanced the basket whilst walking towards the place where men were hard at work making bricks. She had not liked being so demanding of Athalia, and truthfully, she felt really bad for her and agreed with her to an extent. But it was better for her to put her sister in line than for one of the slave drivers to come along and do so.

Athalia conceded to end the argument as well though she had wanted to continue, put up more of an affray. She decided, however, that perhaps her sister was right as usual, and resolving to save the dispute for a later moment, she quickly quieted herself, as they carefully placed down their baskets and began placing straw in the clay mix. Secretly, she admired her sister for her tenacity; her ability to stay strong and look like nothing could affect her was very intrepid. But sometimes she wondered if in times like this, when you were hiding what you truly felt, whether you were being brave for enduring, or a coward for hiding the truth. This was neither the first nor the last time this argument would brew, and both girls knew it. Although it was not an everyday conversation, it was an inevitable battle, a clash that was always waiting to occur. And after every altercation that occurred between them, Athalia managed to be satisfied within reason for many suns, but whenever a fellow Bekaton was mistreated, the fire within her would always arise once more. 

Serenity with her strength and wisdom, was the more controlled in nature of the two, and would always attempt to subdue her younger sibling. Athalia was so far from Serenity in many ways though; one main difference being her outspoken and wild mannerisms. It was this difference in character that brought on their premise over the issue of slavery into which they had been placed. Serenity strongly believed that they should wait for Godawa to free them, that he would send someone to lead them to a great victory. Athalia believed in one simple line of reasoning, that perhaps Godawa had placed the ability to escape from their blunder in their hearts all along, and all they need do was contest.

But no matter the differences, the similarities were too great to make them angry with each other for any moment of time. Both were of the same caring heart, and both were of the fantasizing kind, dreaming of the day in which they would find love and simple things of the like. 

Of the two, Serenity was the elder by a partition of two years. Both she and Athalia had worked beside their mother, Ruth, in the straw fields since they were young. Though they still continued to work there to the day, they now carried the baskets of straw to the male workers so that they could make bricks instead of just helping their mother to gather it, whilst her job now was to make clothes for the prince. 

They never knew or understood how it was that the prince had heard of their mother's talents as a seamstress, but somehow he had discovered it. And to their utter shock, he had one day requested for her presence before him and gave her a test of skill; both she and his current Chronos seamstress were set to work on making him a new robe for the coming festival. He had given them both money and told them to shop for all the materials they had needed to accomplish such a task. Whilst the Chronos maid went about and used fine materials from the Chronos shops, she had prayed to the God of her people and then set out amidst the sellers in the village to buy the materials she needed.She refused to support the Chronos people through purchase of goods that she believed were tainted by their ungodly ways.

By what she believed was no sheer coincidence, she discovered a family at the edge of the village where the elder woman had a great talent for making fine colored silks, but could not afford the money or time to make them because of her job in the fields. When she told the woman of her problems, she agreed to help. Immediately setting at work, she enlisted the help of this woman, who went by the name of Sarah, to make a new robe for the prince. 

When she had set the newly finished garment before him, he was very pleased and immediately declared her his new seamstress. Remembering the woman who helped her, she had requested that she be able to get the help of others to do these tasks. With three new jobs to work at, Sarah, a friend of hers by the name of Mary, and Ruth no longer had to worry about working beneath the sun and carrying heavy baskets back and forth over the dessert valleys. The woman whom had once been the seamstress for the prince, did not take the being reduced to a mere maid lightly, and boldly told their mother that she would make her pay for what she had done. Her words had slipped callously from their mother's head as she told the woman quite boldly that she did not fear her, for she believed that for some reason their God, Godawa, had placed her there to serve a purpose, a purpose she was sure would later present itself. The woman only scoffed at their mother's talk and told her simply that when she had finally found a way to recompense her for what she had done, her 'Godawa', would not save her from the dealt humility. Their mother had brushed it off as only a mere threat, and had prayed to their God that night that he protect her from those who would wish to harm her so that she may do his will and serve his intent. Rest assured, she had not seen the woman in many suns since.

The second sun had now sat mid-center in the sky as they walked home across the desert sand, the heat of it mildly scalding the soles of their feet. By now, their friend Amiri had joined them as well, having finished the duties assigned to him for the day. Too tired for the moment to speak, they walked in silence, allowing the cool breeze of the incoming evening to relax them as they proceeded towards a secluded oasis.

"Athalia..." Serenity sighed, breaching the silence that had overcome them. "I really wish you would just not say anything when we are in the fields...what if they saw you?" 

"So be it...perhaps then it would change the day and make it less repetitious." She declared adamantly.

"Athalia, I do not understand you...why must you act in such a way?" Amiri inquired, his tone deep and vibrating when he spoke the dialect, sliding down the sand on the other side of the dune. 

"Spare me, I do not need your judgments Amiri."

"Do not seme like this Athalia...if they caught you they would wape you, and you would not be so bonsada then." Serenity wisely pointed out as they walked around a tall mountain that was covered in vegetation; she lifted some leaves and veins that had fallen over it at one point to reveal a hidden cave. They all crouched down quietly and carefully, not wanting their voices to shaky their unstable surroundings and cause the entrance to collapse. When they had reached the other side they stood tall and walked through the forest that had met up with them until they reached a clearing that contained a lake in it's midst. Serenity crouched down carefully and sat at the bank before slipping her legs into the cool water. Athalia suspired as she sat down next to her, both Amiri and her following her sister's example.

"Sere can you not...can you not imagine what it would be like to get out of this life of kanuka-yia...and be free?" She began the conversation softly as she slipped her finger into the water and played with the small fish there, causing ripples to form. "What if it is Godawa's will that we stand up to them?"

"I know this is hard for you to see, when you witness the suffering of many almost everyday." Serenity lamented as looked up and behind her towards the tips of the mountain, the first sun almost beneath it, the second slightly filtering through the trees. "But there is a difference between doing Godawa's will...and doing your own in his name." 

"You know what? The two of you sound like a couple of old and boring philosopher's quibbling over the meaning of life and the like. You're only year of eighteen and year of sixteen...you need not worry about such things." He stood up as they rolled their eyes. "And now I plan to do something that shall remedy this situation."

"And what is that, oh wise one?" She asked. 

He smiled.

"I do not like that look." Serenity pointed.

"Well, my friend, you have no chance to do anything about this look now." He ended before pushing them forward and sending them into the water with a mighty splash. They came up minutes after, moving their hands about to keep above the water.

"You...you..." Serenity sputtered.

"You pompous jerk!" Athalia finished after spitting up water amidst the echoing laughter of their friend.

"I am going to get you...when I get out of this wat-" Serenity began, sending a mighty splash of water his way.

"Did you hear that?" He suddenly interrupted her, turning his head at an angle as if to extend his hearing capabilities.

"Do you think that I am insipid enough to belie-" Athalia quarried.

"Shhh!" He silenced her with the wave of his hand. "I think someone is out there."

"You know fully well that no one comes here but us!" Serenity combated.

"No...I assure you, there is someone...hold on, I shall be back." He ended before leaving the two of them alone. Serenity looked at her sister with a malicious smile. 

"Let us get out of the water...when he returns, then we shall get him." She smiled.

Amiri walked cautiously yet carefully through the wooded area, his ears perking up at the slightest noise. He was certain he had heard something; and as if acting on cue, something tackled him from behind, sending him sprawling to the floor. He sprung into motion, throwing his opponent off him with a sheer force.

"Kusos Amiri!" A deep voice exclaimed with ease in Chronos jargon. 

"Your highness?" He queried as he turned from where he lay on the ground towards where he had heard the voice.

"You take the fun out of surprising someone." He chuckled as he leaned down to the floor and picked up a large long sack and swung its strap over his shoulder. "But in any matter, I have told you repeatedly not to call me that when we are alone...you know that I despise formalities between friends...even if you are my lowly servant." He added the last part jokingly, a smile spreading across his lips.

"What are you doing here?" Amiri questioned in wonder, reverting to their ways of speech in which each would speak his own language when speaking to the other.

"I come here all the time...well, just recently anyways." He continued. "I have come to practice spearing...care to join me?" He ended as he lifted a spear from his sack and extended his arm backward as if in preparation to throw it. 

"No actually...I...I am with forsomas."

"Oh, well perhaps they could join us as well." He smirked. "They would have to keep up though...I have increased my ability to maneuver"

"Actually...they are female forsomas." He interrupted, causing Endymion to quirk his eyebrow in response. "Monto Endymion...but it is not like that, they are 'JUST' my forsomas." 

"I do not understand...they are...just your friends?" He replied, confusion marring his brow as he passed a finger along the sharp end of the spear.

"Yeah." Amiri chuckled inwardly at his bafflement on the matter.

"You do not...lie with them?" His hand gripped the handle of the spear as he twisted it easily in the air.

"No, uh...these are good chika-gal-es." He smiled.

"If you do not lie with them...then what is it exactly that you do with them?" He inquired skeptically as he switched the spear from hand to hand.

"We...we seme." He stood up finally and dusted off his garments, his eyes switching between focusing on Endymion to his clothes.

"You talk to them...and they talk back?" He scratched his head. 

"Yes."

"But what could they possibly have to say that is worth listening to?"

"Endymion..." Amiri shook his head and sighed as he placed a hand on either of Endymion's shoulders. "Promise me that you will never say that to a Bekaton adika-wal-e." 

"Amiri!" The soft lull of Serenity broke them from their conversation for but a moment.

"I am coming!" He called out to them. "Listen...Endymion, monto...but I have to go."

"You think that perhaps...I could...join you?" He implored.

"Monto Endymion...but these chika-gal-es are not your kind...they will not take well to your presence here..."

"But what if...what if you intercede on my behalf?" He asked softly, his eyes soft and inculpable.

"Monto...Endymion...monto for saying this but...I do not think it is wise that I invite you to associate with them."

"I do not understand...what are you saying?"

"Endymion." He lamented, combing his fingers through his dark strands as he paced back and forth. "You have a harem, with many hasmians...all of which you have lain with, none of which are your wespinas. I know you can not help the way you are, but...these chika-gal-es are innocent, they do not partake in the same as you. I just do not want..."

"I understand now." Endymion began cynically. "You do not trust me...you think that I will taint your friends, after all, I am of the Chronos am I not?" He continued. "I am already classified as evil by your people without so much as a second glance...I thought that you were different...but I realize now that you are just like the rest." He ended acrimoniously before turning away abruptly and leaving Amiri to stare dumbfounded at his fleeting back.

"Endymion, monto!" He called out, causing Endymion to freeze where he stood.

"Amiri!" Athalia drawled this time.

"Go, your women call you." Endymion told him bitterly.

"Endymion...I."

"Do not worry about it, we are still friends...and...and you are right after all." He suspired before disappearing in the distance.

Amiri sluggishly walked back to where he had left Athalia and Serenity awaiting him, feeling the weight of his actions falling upon his heart. When he arrived at the lake however, they were not where to be seen.

"Athalia! Serenity!" Just as the words slipped from his lips he felt the force of four hands pushing him forward; he landed in the water with a mighty splash. He came up quickly to the surface to stare at the two giggling and pointing at him from the shore. He looked at them maliciously before reaching his hands out and grabbing them by the ankles, successfully pulling them into to join him. A water fight ensued.

After feeling the contentment of being rid of the dessert sand that clung to them and the weariness from engaging in many water fights, they retired beneath the beaming sun, allowing it to dry their garments and warm them from head to toe.

"What do you think that one is?" Serenity questioned with uncertain eyes, her thoughts slightly hazy and unfocused.

"I do not know...I think...perhaps a mor-jzo?" Amiri acknowledged her call, his voice empty and slightly sorrowful as he was only half aware of what she was saying, his mind still occupied about what Endymion had said to him earlier.

"Not a Mor-jzo...a...a bonto." Athalia replied, her mind formulating the rebuttal with ease, speaking as if she were the superior in mind to both her sister and friend; this only caused a deep throated chuckled to erupt from the depths of Amiri's gullet as he allowed her to break him away from his previous thoughts.

"It only has one hump, Athalia." He scoffed.

"It does not Amiri...I mean look at it...if you look closely...do you not think it looks like a bonto Serenity?" She replied with a reassuring glance towards her sister.

"Well..." Serenity paused as she looked up at the cloud from her spot on the grassy cliff. "I think it is..."

"See...she consents with me!" She argued triumphantly.

"But you did not let me proceed!" She exclaimed with a light giggle, an expression of enchantment and fantasy on her face. "I think it looks like a rosonda!"

"A rosonda?" Amiri looked upon her skeptically before responding to her replication, which as far as he was concerned, was no replication. "There is no such mabada called a rosonda."

"But there is!" Serenity smiled. "E-ma told me about them."

"Oh really?" Athalia asked doubtfully, looking upon her sister as if she had just commented that man could fly. She artfully raised her brow as she combated her sister's intellect with a possibility that she could not deny. "Then how come is it that I do not know of these rosondas hmmm?"

"Because you never pay notice to what e-ma has to say!" She smirked. "You know how you are, always off in some lekera in your head as you dream of...Matthew." Serenity ended triumphantly as her sister gasped in response to her parry. 

"I do not!" 

"Oh...I see the way in which you look towards him when we give the men straw to make the bricks..." She taunted as she closed her eyes and stood on two feet, dancing around slowly yet in a drunken manner.

"That is not true!" Athalia reasoned as she jumped forth to attack her sister in fury; Serenity merely dodged her fruitless attempts. 

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen!" She taunted as she made faces at Athalia to unnerve her.

"But what of you?" Athalia suddenly refuted with merriment. "I see the way in which you casta at Mark!"

"That is because, my dear senake, Mark is very handsome!" She replied with a giggle as she looked upon her sister's ashen face.

"It is okay to bekene other chika-bal-es Athalia." Amiri mocked, Athalia's face turning rosy in color as she sat down demurely next to him.

"I...I know that...but I just do not like being accused of bekening someone whom I do not." 

"So is there another whom catches your enseka?" He carefully broached her.

"As a matter of fact, there is...but he does not even know that I exist." She sighed.

"Take heart Athalia...he shall notice someday." He responded brilliantly, his smile warming her. "Is that not right Serenity?"

"Of course...and if he does not...then we shall just have to beat him until he does." She continued whilst beating a fist in the palm of her hand, smiling proudly as a lopsided grin appeared on Athalia's face. "But in any matter," She persisted as she changed the subject to a more lighthearted one, her mind forming the picture of a tall four legged creature with a long mid-section, hair which protruded from it's head to come down it's side as well as a tail made solely of so, that also walked on all fours. "E-ma says that a rosonda looks like a mor-jzo, but it has long hair on its back and all of its tail is made of hair." She tarried mindfully as she took her place once more on the cliff and looked down at the waterfall that was fifty feet in depth. "And it is much bigger too, and stronger...and...not so stubborn." She ended with an agile spirited giggle.

"Can you ride a rosonda?" Amiri inquired curiously. "Just like a mor-jzo?"

"E-ma said that TWO people can ride a rosonda," She wavered with exclamation in her voice, as if telling a story that had some deep significance. "And it runs...and jumps too!"

"But I do not understand...e-ma has lived here all her life...if there were such a mabada, would we not see them today?"

"Are you telling falsehoods Serenity?" Amiri accused with a humorous air about him.

"No...e-ma told me that they were true!" She contended, her face showing just how frustrated she was. 

"I do not know about you Amiri, but it sounds like a fable if you ask me...just like the senta of the Bekaton Princess that e-ma told us as well."

"Perhaps you are remembering these imaginative creatures from a childhood senta Serenity?" Amiri smiled.

"No...I know that they are real...I do not know how e-ma knows of them...but she could not have made up such a thing...I mean, why would she?"

"Well, there are other lekeras...perhaps this 'rosonda ' resides on another lekera." Amiri reasoned with Athalia. "Then it would be possible that your e-ma heard this senta from one of the many travelers that come through here to trade with the komoko."

"Perhaps."

"Never mind," Serenity finished in a restrained-like manner. "Come Athalia, we had better be getting back to our dwelling before it is dark...e-ma and abba will be very sore with us if we come home too late." She stood and dusted off her clothes, Athalia following suit.

"Gonsabi Amiri." They called out to him as they walked away.

"Gonsabi Athalia...Serenity." He replied, inwardly sighing in defeat as he stood up and stared for a few moments at their fleeting forms. Perhaps what he had done was a good thing; though he felt bad about the way he had carried it out, what he had told Endymion about himself was none other than true.

Endymion sighed as the sounds of giggling below caused him to miss his target once more. He had never really heard a woman laugh so heartily; for him it had always been fake. Deciding that he would not achieve anything with the practice he was ensuing, he walked over and picked up all the spears that had landed next to the tree at various positions and resigned to lying on the steep cliff that was many feet above the one where Amiri sat, entertaining his _friends. _

It was a few minutes more before he watched the two girls whom he could barely see, depart from Amiri; the best he could decipher was that one had golden brown hair, while the other had a deep brown hue about her head. He lamented as he lay his head to rest upon his crossed arms, the soft grass beneath his torso tickling him softly. 

Despite the anger he felt about what Amiri had told him, he could not be angry with him for it; he was right, after all. He did not know anything about how to talk to women without making sly attempts at charming them. Through all the things that he had, the riches, the luxuries, the women, he could not help but come to terms with the fact that Amiri had much more than he. He would give anything to be in his position, to be able to talk to girls in the way he had, but he knew that it was for not. Just as slim a chance as him ever finding that great feeling that the Bekaton people spoke of, a word that had no translation in his language, a word that he heard could bind a man and a woman together for many suns. As far as his people were concerned, only circumstances and wealth bound man and woman together. 

Love, he had heard the Bekaton maids say. The way in which they had spoken of it had captured his mind and made him spellbound; they were such magnificent stories. He had wanted to ask more, but did not want to look foolish before them. 

His people thought they had everything, the riches, the power, but they were nothing compared to what the Bekatons had; it was they who were truly rich. 

He was so confused, and so angry with himself. He needed something to give him release from his tormenting thoughts, to help him get rid of his pent up emotions. The idea that occurred to him made him laugh bitterly, but he was what he was, was he not? 

The sounds of moaning, screaming, and grunting drifted throughout the seamstress quarters and resulted in giggling amongst two of them. 

"I have not known the prince to take to a hasmian in the day, when had this started?" Sarah queried as she picked up a thread piece from a basket that lay beside her. 

"Well...today I suppose." Mary replied. 

"Perhaps this means that he has taken to one of them." Sarah questioned rhetorically with an arch of her brow. 

"I do not think so." Mary smiled.

"You know what though...if that boy does not settle down, there will be no heir to the throne of Chronos when he becomes King." Sarah relented.

"What about his majesty?" Ruth questioned from where she sat quietly sewing another robe for the prince. "If he marries and produces an heir, then it will not matter if the penaka marries or not." 

"You speak in truth, but his majesty is getting old, I do not think it will happen." Sarah retorted. 

"Perhaps you are right." Ruth relinquished. "But the penaka never takes any interest in any of them...never even bothers to know their names." She sighed. "As much as I do not care for the people of Chronos, I worry about that chika-bal-e..."

"Who cares?" Mary exclaimed in a whisper. "Surely you are not hoping that the throne of Chronos will last?"

"No Mary, of course not." Sarah replied exasperatedly. "But you know how the komoko is, he is not foolish." She paused. "He will make sure he has an heir to follow him so that what he has begun will not end." She continued in a stern voice. "But do not worry, for the penaka is a nice man, he is nothing like his monsora." 

"But what of these women, they practically throw themselves at his feet...and all they want is his money." Mary added. "What if one of them became porstana with his chikas...surely knowing the kind of man the penaka is, he will marry her and she may ruin him."

"That is probably why he gives strict orders to his Chronos maids that those hasmians be forced to take a bonkanya cosa panya so that they will not carry his chika after." Sarah remarked as she continued to weave a new cloth.

"But he has to pay attention to at least one of them...how else will he ever settle down?" Ruth interjected in an irate tone. "He deserves a good adika-wal-e...unlike his monsora, he is kind to all the Bekatons." 

"Mmmm...if he were to become the komoko, there would be a drastic change I am sure." Sarah added. "It will not be so hard for us as it is now...humph, Godawa will punish the komoko for being so cruel." 

"You know something that truly makes me feel sorry for him?" Ruth queried rhetorically with a far way look. "The Chronos people do not have a word for love...I do not even think that chika-bal-e knows what it is." Just as she finished speaking, the door to their room opened, a woman with long black thick hair stepping in.

"Honsabi, Desdemona." Ruth greeted her with a smile in her own dialect.

"Honsabi...Ruth." The woman replied bitterly in Bekatonian, her grasps of the language so rough that they winced at the way it came out; her eyes did not even chance looking down upon where they sat. "I come with...assignment for you." She glanced at the three of them in contempt before turning away once more, her face contorting in such a way that showed her obvious belief in her superiority. "His highness like you make cloth desta for chikagale...a hesmia for peneke day of birth." She ended, her presentation of vernacular distorted.

"Make desta for who?" Ruth asked with a triumphant smile; inwardly laughing at Desdemona's futile attempts to articulate the language.

"Hesmia chikagale." She replied frustrated as she rolled her eyes heavenward. 

"Ohhh!" Ruth replied with a fraudulent dawning, as if she had not known what the woman was trying to say. "Make a dress for a harlot girl for the festival you mean?" She queried in perfect Chronian jargon, surprising Desdemona in the way she understood her own language. 

Desdemona gasped as she continued. 

"What size does she wear?"

In the end, Desdemona walked out the room in a huff, slamming the door behind her; she had not been blithe about being made a fool once again.

"Shalom e-ma! Shalom abba! We are home!" Athalia yelled into their quarters as both her and Serenity walked through the door.

"Athalia, Serenity...it is about time you arrived." Their mother replied as they both greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "Supper is on the table, we have been waiting for you, hurry and wash up." 

"Yes e-ma." Serenity replied as her and Athalia greeted their father before washing their feet and hands in a basin of water that lay on a table near the door. When they had finished, they hurriedly sat at the table opposite each other where they all held hands to pray.

"Serenity...thank Godawa for our fenek." Her father requested as they all closed their eyes in silence.

"Godawa, bless this fenek that we shall eat and we thank-you for all that you have provided. Amen." They opened their eyes, the sounds of eating utensils hitting plates and bowls being set on the table, filling the room. Not but a few minutes into the silence did Serenity speak up, the beginnings of a nice docile family conversation commencing by her few choice words.

"So e-ma, abba, how was your day?"

"Well Sere, it was all right...though the bricks seemed only slightly heavier than usual...Godawa sustained me." Her father replied. 

"I think the penaka may find favor with the new robes I have made for him." Her mother commented softly as she stood to serve the food from one of the clay vessels. "How was your day?" 

"The same as usual e-ma, once again I had to remind someone about the silence rule." Serenity said while looking at Athalia. 

Athalia stuck her tongue out at her.

Serenity rolled her eyes.

" Athalia, how many times must we go through this?" Her mother queried sternly.

"Because e-ma, I am tired of this fetid life that we are forced to convey." 

"Athalia!" Her father reprimanded. "You do not seme that way in this household...now apologize to your e-ma."

"Monto e-ma" She lamented. "But what did we ever do to those doltish Chronos to deserve what they have put our bekamine though?" Athalia added. 

"Athalia, you know there is nothing we can do about our situation for now except wait." Her mother retorted. 

"Wait?" Athalia exclaimed. "Wait for what, that old senta about a Bekaton Penaka-a to come true? It is just a senta e-ma and you know it." She pushed the food around her plate. "It is just something that someone made up to give us hope, but it is a false hope." She ended softly. 

"Must we go through this every day Athalia?" Her father responded with a serious tone. "I wish it was not this way, but it is." 

"Could we not rakata father...I mean, there is more of us than there are of them." She contested with fierce eyes. 

"When we started, there was more of them than there were of us...we have been under the chain for about eighteen years, it is hard to start a repan now."

"But it makes no sense, I do not understand why taking back what is rightfully ours is not as simple a task as milking a gansava!"

"Because it is not!" Her father countered sternly. "In order to have a repan you have to be organized and everyone must agree...if one person does not agree with the repan, then it will not work." 

"But why would anyone not want to rakata, who wants to live the life of a kanuka forever?"

"If you tie a wild gonsava to a tree when it is young, then when it grows old, you will need the tie no longer." He placed his eating utensil down on the table with a sigh. "So it is the way with our bekamine, when you have spent your life under the wape for so long...you begin to fear it and do not fully comprehend what lies beyond." 

"Athalia..." Her mother suspired. "You must not forget the words of Godawa...that battle belongs to him...not to us." She placed her fingers beneath her chin and made her to look her in the eye. "How do you think I would feel if one of my cantakas were returned to me battered and bruised...adding to our worries does not help the battle...it only makes it worse." She wiped a bit of the food that lie on the side of her face. "Be still my chikas...Godawa will hear the cries of his people."

"Sere...do you believe in the old Bekaton senta?" Athalia asked in the darkness from where she lay upon her bed. 

"Well...I think that if believing in something gives you hope, then you should believe in it." She replied softly. "I believe that someday we will be freed." 

"It is hard to believe that there is a life outside of this one, when all I have been doing for sixteen years is living this life of bondage." Athalia voiced softly into the night. 

"That is why repan is so hard Athalia." Serenity suspired. "I understand that it is arduous for you to think in such a way, but I have been doing it for eighteen years, so if I can do it...so can you, lo?" 

"I shall try, but it can be so wearisome." Athalia commented. "At least you get to go to the Palace Fetina Capa-a...I would love to be pampered in the way that they pamper you." 

"Yes, but there are worse things." She looked towards the window at the night sky. "It is nothing to look forward to believe me." She continued distantly. "After the pampering, you enter a great hall where men of all ages from the young brood to the old are drunk from whuta and they sometimes try and seize you." She added. "It is not a great experience and it is nothing to look forward to when you turn eighteen...which greatly puzzles me." 

"What puzzles you?" Athalia asked. 

"Why is it that only women who are eighteen and up can be servants at the fetina capa-as?" 

"Perhaps you can ask?" 

"No...the Chronos women in charge of the servants at the banquet are almost as astringent as the Kanuka Ma-an" She paused. "The only thing that they lack is a wape."

"They do not permit speaking?"

"No, senake**, **they do not..." She replied sleepily. "The night has come...let us sleep." She ended before drifting off.


End file.
